Hamtaro's Absence
by Wishbone the Lover of Books
Summary: Hamtaro suddenly leaves the clubhouse and doesn't turn up again for two weeks. Valentine's Day is just around the corner. What can possibly be happening? Read to find out. This is my third fanfic. If you read, please review.
1. Absent Without Leave

Hamtaro's Absence

Author's note: I do not own Hamtaro or anything associated with the franchise. All that I own is the creativity used in weaving these characters into a plot that I made up.

One day when everybody was at the clubhouse, Hamtaro looked at the calendar on the wall.

"Oh my gosh," Hamtaro gasped, rushing out of the door of the clubhouse. The door slammed behind me, leaving the rest of the ham hams in puzzlement.

"What happened?" Bijou asked.

"Like, what's wrong with Hamtaro?" Sandy wondered.

"I don't know," Boss replied. "That certainly was strange."

"I've never seen him act like that before," Maxwell exclaimed. "Hamtaro has never been one to act weirdly."

"Maybe he's going to build something," Panda suggested. "There's nothing better than peace and quiet for focusing on a building project. It clears the mind and calms the nerves. That's when a builder is at his best."

"Don't be ridiculous," Pashmina remarked. "You know that Hamtaro doesn't build things."

"Sorry," Panda said. "I know that it isn't likely, but sometimes unlikely things do happen."

"I don't know," Stan butted in, "but I say we like, do something."

So all of the hams got on with the day with Hamtaro gone. The next day, Hamtaro didn't show up. Hamtaro's absence continued the next day. And the next, and the next, and the next, until Hamtaro was gone for two full weeks. For the duration of his absence, Hamtaro was working on sculptures of each of the ham hams made out of sunflower seeds. The occasion was Valentine's Day, which nobody knew was coming. After the two weeks, Hamtaro finally decided to return to the clubhouse. On his way there, he thought to himself.

"That was a lot of hard work," Hamtaro thought. "I've never worked so hard in my life. But I would do anything for my friends, especially Bijou. She's really special. I'll have to tell her that. I'll put it on my to do list. Today is Valentine's Day, so I'm happy I finished on time."

Hamtaro took out a piece of paper and jotted it down. He then walked into the clubhouse and greeted everybody.

"Hamha, everyone," Hamtaro exclaimed.

"Hamtaro, where have you been?" Boss asked. "We've been worrying about you."

"Yeah," Pashmina chimed in. "We all thought that something dreadful might have happened to you."

"Oh, nothing bad happened to me," Hamtaro replied. "I've just been at home working on something for all of you today."

"Really, Cappy said excitedly. "What is it?"

"First of all, does anyone know what day it is?" Hamtaro asked.

"I know!" Maxwell said. "It's Valentine's Day according to that calendar over there."

"Wow! I like, totally forgot," Sandy said. "Maxwell, do you want to go somewhere with me for Valentine's Day. I want to do something special."

"How about we have a picnic while watching clouds and later watch the sunset. Just the two of us. Then we could sit under the stars and look at the different constellations."

"Sounds great!"

Bijou hoped that a certain hamster would ask her to go with him.

"I hope that Hamtaro asks me to go with him," Bijou thought to herself. "He is soooo cute."

"We should all go," Dexter suggested. "Pash…"

Howdy bumped Dexter out of the way.

"Pashmina would you go with me?" Howdy asked.

"Hey, I asked her first," Dexter shouted indignantly.

"Sorry boys," Pashmina apologized. "I've already chosen someone to go with."

"Who?" Dexter and Howdy asked.

"He he he. You'll see. I'll give you one hint. He isn't in this room right now. As a matter of fact, he rarely comes here."

"That's easy," Cappy said. "It must be none other than Jin…"

"Shhhhh!" Pashmina shushed.

"Whoops!"

"Who?" Dexter asked.

"Hmmm," Howdy pondered. "I think the name started with a J."

"You'll find out soon enough," Pashmina told them. "He should be here soon."

"I made one for him too," Hamtaro said. "Now for the surprise."

Hamtaro presented each of the hamsters with a statue resembling each of them made of sunflower seeds that they could eat.

"This is very nice, Hamtaro," Bijou commented. "You spent all this time making these for us?"

"Sure did," Hamtaro replied.

"He's so considerate of others," Bijou thought. "That makes him all the more likable."

"Oh," Hamtaro uttered. "While we were on the subject, I wanted to ask you something." Hamtaro said this while looking at his to do list.

"I wanted to ask you something too, Bijou," Boss said, walking up to them.

To Be Continued…

So, what do you think? I wrote this story because I thought it was better than my first two, and I hope that it will get more hits and reviews than my previous stories. That, however, is left up to you, the reader, to decide. Please review. Reviews would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Apologies and Plans

Author's Note: Once again, I do not own Hamtaro, any of the characters from Hamtaro, or anything that belongs with the franchise. I only own my ideas that I used to create this story with the characters, not the characters themselves.

"Would you be my valentine?" Hamtaro and Boss asked simultaneously.

"I don't know which one of you to pick," Bijou said confused. "I don't want either of you to be angry."

Bijou ran out the door crying.

"Oh no," Hamtaro cried.

"What have we done?" Boss exclaimed.

"I know what you've done," Sandy angrily retorted. "You like made Bijou cry."

"Bijou is very sensitive," Pashmina added. "You ought to be ashamed of yourselves."

Hamtaro and Boss looked at each other sadly.

"Hey, Boss," Hamtaro uttered, "want to go for a walk? I need to talk to you alone."

"Sure," Boss replied. "I've got some things on my mind too."

Boss and Hamtaro went walking out the door of the clubhouse. They saw Bijou crying outside but didn't want to disturb her, so they kept on walking.

"They just walked right by me without trying to cheer me up," Bijou moaned between choked sobs. "Oh, they are so rude and mean. Maybe I don't like Hamtaro any more. I never really liked Boss anyway."

Bijou continued to cry, and Hamtaro and Boss walked down by the lake talking.

"So, where should we begin?" Hamtaro asked.

"I know," Boss suggested. "I'll start this conversation off. You know I like Bijou, right?"

"Yeah"

"Well, I like her so much that I wouldn't let you get in the way of us liking each other."

"That's why I always kept my feelings about Bijou secret."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. If I know you like Bijou, I shouldn't openly show my affection for her. That would make you angry."

"That's exactly why I'm sorry."

"I don't feel right letting you take all the blame. Can I have some of it?"

"Sure. Now we're even, right?"

"Right."

"Now let's go back and comfort Bijou."

"I'm sure she needs it."

As Hamtaro and Boss walked back to the clubhouse, Bijou finished her crying and talked to the other hams about her woes.

"I'm sorry, Bijou," Sandy apologized. "I don't think that Hamtaro and Boss like did that on purpose."

"Me neither," Pashmina agreed. "They probably thought since you felt bad enough already, they didn't want you to feel any worse."

"Okwee," Penelope chimed.

"You are probably right," Bijou sighed, "but just to make sure, I have a plan."

"We'll help in like anyway we can," Stan said.

"Okay this is what it is…

To Be Continued

That's part two to this four-part story. It was shorter than the first chapter, I'll admit, but I'm sure that you'll like the third installment. By the way, thank you lupyne for reviewing the first chapter of my story. I hope that the next chapter gives you the action that you feel my story needs. Feel free to review this story if you have the time, and I'm talking to any reader that reads this story. Of course, lupyne, I'd like you to review this chapter too, if you can.


	3. A Total Catastrophe

Author's Note: I do not own Hamtaro, the characters from Hamtaro, or anything associated with the Hamtaro franchise. I only own my creativity.

"Okay, here's the plan," Bijou told the group of hamsters. "All of you can dress up like a cat and fake like you're going to eat me. Then Hamtaro or Boss ought to come and save me. Then I'll see which one of them really likes me."

"It's a good plan," Cappy commented, "but what if a real cat comes along?"

"I don't think that would happen," Bijou replied.

"Although chances are slim," Maxwell stated, "that could happen on any given day. I don't agree with the plan."

"I'm with Maxwell," Sandy said, siding with her boyham. "I think he knows what he's talking about."

"Oh, please?" Bijou begged. "If a cat does come, you can all leave me and get to safety."

"But then you would be defenseless," Panda said with conviction. "I wouldn't feel right leaving you all alone to face a ferocious cat."

"I'm desperate," Bijou pleaded.

"Alright already," Stan resolved. "We'll do it."

"Thank you, Stan."

"Any time, Bijou," Stan said, blushing slightly.

"Okay," Panda exclaimed. "I'll build a cat costume we could get into."

Panda worked hard at getting the costume ready. He finished it just in time for Oxnard to see Hamtaro and Boss returning to the clubhouse.

"Hamtaro and Boss are coming!" Oxnard shouted.

"Everybody get into position," Maxwell ordered.

"I'm ready," Bijou told them. "Let's go over to the edge of that cliff."

Bijou walked by herself over to the edge a cliff close by thinking that the rest of the hams were following in the cat suit. Little did she know that a very hungry and mean looking cat that had been waiting for lunch all day long followed her instead. When the hams in the cat suit saw the real cat, they all ran for their lives so quickly and silently the cat thought they were the wind as they rushed by. Hamtaro and Boss were getting closer and closer to the edge of the cliff where Bijou stood.

"Good," Bijou thought to herself. "They're coming. I'm starting to have second thoughts about my idea. Maxwell sounded pretty convincing. Oh well."

"REEEOOOWWWWWW," the cat hissed.

"Did you hear that?" Hamtaro asked Boss.

"A cat," Boss said in fear. "Let's run for it."

"Right."

Hamtaro and Boss ran straight for the clubhouse opening passing behind the cat. The cat noticed them but didn't care. He wanted to eat Bijou.

"Good job you guys," Bijou congratulated her friends. "You're really life like."

"REOWWW," the cat continued to hiss.

"Guys?"

"I haven't had my food since last week. I'm going to EAT YOU!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

Hamtaro stopped running.

"Did you hear that scream, Boss?" Hamtaro asked with urgency in his voice.

"Yeah," Boss replied. "It was Bijou's."

"We've got to save her."

"My thoughts exactly. Come on."

Hamtaro and Boss ran side by side as fast as they could and found the cat cornering Bijou at the edge of the cliff.

"She's really close to the edge," Boss observed. "She may fall off."

"I've got an idea," Hamtaro said. "If she falls off, you'll have to get the cat away somehow and stand at the edge of the cliff. I'll jump after Bijou and throw her up to you."

"You know you might get hurt right?"

"Of course."

"Okay. Here goes nothing."

The cat lifted one of its paws into the air, threatening to cut Bijou in half. As it was about to attack…

"Opaa!" Hamtaro yelled, jumping in-between Bijou and the cat's paw.

"No, Hamtaro!" Bijou screamed in fright.

The cat swiped at the hamsters and gave Hamtaro a severe cut on his stomach. The force from the cat's swing sent Hamtaro and Bijou over the edge of the cliff.

"Okay, cat," Boss yelled in anger. "You've gone too far."

The cat ran toward Boss who was near a tree trunk. When the cat leaped, Boss sidestepped and the cat slammed into the tree trunk at full force, knocking his own self out for an entire year!

"Hamtaro, I'm ready," Boss yelled down to Hamtaro.

"Okay, Bijou," Hamtaro said. "I know I'm hurt and we're both falling, but I don't want you to get hurt, so I'm going to throw you up to Boss, okay?"

"No, Hamtaro," Bijou resisted. "I will stay with you."

"You can't. You'll just get hurt too. You're safety comes first."

"No."

"Do it for me?"

"Okay," Bijou said reluctantly.

Hamtaro grabbed Bijou by the waist, which Bijou enjoyed by the way, and using all his upper body strength even though he was hurt, threw her all the way to Boss. She landed safely in his waiting arms. Hamtaro, although hurt badly and completely exhausted, positioned his body as if he was flying down the cliff, and he stared down hard completely unafraid of what would happen to him.

"No matter what happens to me," Hamtaro thought to himself, "I will be happy knowing that Bijou is safe."

Just then, he saw a lake of water. He was headed straight for it. When he was about 15 feet away, a strange wind blew him away from it and into a humungous pile of leaves instead.

"Wow!" Hamtaro told to himself. "I sure got lucky. How am I going to get all the way back up the cliff?"

He looked up and saw that he was on some kind of beach. There was a cave ahead.

"Maybe that way is up in that cave."

Hamtaro walked with great pain into the cave. He saw a boat that seemed to be waiting for him on a gentle river. He got in it and suddenly it moved. All of a sudden, he forgot about his cut and blood and enjoyed the ride. It was like a log ride at the Ham Ham Fun Park. At the end he found himself 100 feet above a lake that was right behind the clubhouse. Before he could think of how to get down, the boat made a complete vertical drop down so fast and hard that tears flew out of his eyes. When he reached the lake at the bottom, there was a huge splash that was louder than a fire engine to a hamster. Hamtaro got so wet he was completely soaked. Then he got out and his cut stopped bleeding for a little while. He then entered the clubhouse.

"Hamha, everybody!" Hamtaro greeted his fellow hams.

Everyone stared at him as if he were a ghost. Bijou had told them the story of how he had saved her life, and they all thought he died. Maxwell was the first to respond.

"Hamtaro, are you alright?" Maxwell asked him.

"For the moment, yes," Hamtaro replied, looking down at his wound and blood stains on his fur.

"Then come with me. I can see how bad your cut is. I have a first aid kit upstairs. Follow me."

"Right behind ya."

"Was that really Hamtaro?" Bijou asked.

"I don't know," Boss said, unsure of whether or not he was in a dream.

"That was him alright," Sandy exclaimed.

"I'm so happy," Bijou said with unrestrained happiness.

Bijou started to cry. Hamtaro was okay. He was going to be treated by Maxwell, and his cut was to heal in about 15 minutes.

15 minutes later….

"Thanks, Maxwell," Hamtaro said, relieved. "I feel much better."

"Your cuts look better too," Maxwell agreed, "but I think you should stay in the bed for just a little while longer. Just to be sure."

"Whatever you say. You're the expert."

"Oh, and by the way, you have a visitor."

"Hello, Hamtaro," Boss greeted.

"Hi, Boss," Hamtaro said, returning the greeting.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine."

"Hey, thanks for rescuing Bijou."

"It wasn't just me. You helped to you know."

"You did all the brave stuff."

"I work as a team with other hamsters. I never take all the credit. I refuse to be called the hero. You worked with me. If you didn't catch her, she would have fallen too."

"Okay, you win. We're both the heroes."

"That's right."

They both laughed. Bijou stood behind the door listening to all the words they said.

"He's so modest," Bijou thought to herself. "I don't understand how he has all these good qualities inside him, and he shows them regularly without trying to impress anyone. He has such good character."

"Bijou," Boss called to her. "why don't you come in and talk with Hamtaro, alone."

"Thank you, Boss," Bijou said.

"So, how's it going, Bijou?" Hamtaro asked.

"Fine," Bijou stated. "Hamtaro, I have something to talk to you about."

To Be Continued…

Well, there's only one more chapter left. I think that I'll get it done in another few minutes. Unfortunately, for all of you die-hard action seekers out there, the action part is over. The cat attack was the climax of the story. Please review this chapter too, if you can.


	4. The Finale

Author's Note: I do not and never will own Hamtaro, any of the characters from Hamtaro, or anything associated with the Hamtaro franchise. Here is the conclusion to the story. I hope you enjoy it.

"What is it that you wanted to tell me?" Hamtaro asked.

"Well," Bijou began, "I've been keeping a secret from you that I wanted to tell you ever since the first day I laid eyes on you. I l…"

Hamtaro sighed and then laid back in his bed depressed.

"What's wrong?" Bijou asked.

"Well," Hamtaro replied, "before you say what I think you're going to say, I want to tell you something. The first day I saw you, I thought you were the cutest ham in the world.

Bijou smiled and blushed at the comment while nervously fiddling with her blue ribbons.

"Then you got to come to the clubhouse. After that, my thoughts about you only got better as I got to know you. I've been thinking, and I'm sure of it now. All of my attempts to save you and make you happy were because I like you. I think you're the perfect ham for me. I can't really describe the feelings I have for you because they are too hard to explain. Oh well. I'm not angry."

"Angry, over what?"

"I can't get in the way of people liking each other, and I really don't want to try. I promised Boss, and he promised me. A promise is a promise."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, since you started to cry, Boss and I decided to go for a walk and talk about it. We didn't want you to feel any worse, so we didn't talk to you on the way out."

"So that's why they walked right past me," Bijou thought to herself.

"We both agreed that if you like one of us, the other will not get mad. So, since you like Boss, I won't be angry. I may feel a little depressed today, but tomorrow I will be back to normal. Okay?"

"You've got it all wrong."

"Heke?"

"You didn't let me finish my sentence. I like you Hamtaro."

"Really?" Hamtaro asked, surprised.

"Yes. You see, on the first day I saw you and you did that little dance for me, remember what happened after you were done?"

"Yeah. I think you blinked because you had something in your eye."

"No. I winked at you because from then on I knew I was going to like you. Just like you said about your thoughts getting better about me, the same thing happened for me toward you. You have so many good characteristics that you show every day without trying to impress anyone. You do it naturally. I've never met anyone like you, Hamtaro. I think you are just perfect for me. So…

Bijou leaned over and kissed Hamtaro lightly on the cheek then smiled at him.

"I just wanted to let you know that I love you, and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you when the time comes."

"Ditto for me. You're perfect for me, Bijou."

Both hamsters stared at each other for a long time, thinking about their future marriage and how great it'd be to live with each other for the rest of their lives.

"Well, Hamtaro, I guess I should go. You still need to get your rest."

Bijou began walking to the door. As she was about to exit, she turned around one last time.

"Oh, and Hamtaro?"

"Yes."

"I forgot to thank you for saving me. It was the bravest and most courageous thing that anyone has ever done for me. Giving one's life up for somebody else, no one can have greater love than that."

"I would take a thousand cat scratches if it meant saving you, and I mean it."

"Hamtaro, forgive me. That cat fiasco was all my fault. You see, after you and Boss passed me by while I was crying, I thought that neither of you cared about me, and I a contrived a plan to see which one of you cared about me the most. I had Panda build a cat costume that the other hams were going to get in and act like they were going to kill me. Maxwell warned me that a real cat might come, but I was desperate. Then the real cat came, and, and … I'm sorry."

"All you had to do was ask, but I'm not mad. How could I get mad at you for trying to find out the truth? That's not worth losing a friend over."

"So, you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you."

"Hamtaro, you're so sweet. I'll see you later, okay?"

Hamtaro laid his head back on his pillow, closing his eyes. He began to fall asleep.

"Okay, I'll be right here waiting."

"Sweet dreams, Hamtaro."

Bijou walked out of the room and closed the door, leaving Hamtaro to sleep peacefully. Hamtaro drifted off into sleep, content with what had happened that day. He could only wonder what tomorrow might hold in store for him, but he was happy in knowing that one day, he would marry Bijou, and that would be the happiest day of his life.

The End

Well, that's the end. I hope that you all enjoyed the story. If you could, just one last time, review this story for me. Please and thank you.


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